Holidays, traditions and etiquette
Which holiday it is today in Georgia and whether shops are open, how to behave at a Georgian supra, what to bring your hosts and what the national costume is called.
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What are the public holidays in Georgia?
Georgia has 18 official public holidays a year: New Year on 1-2 January, Christmas on 7 January, Epiphany on 19 January, Mother's Day on 3 March, 8 March, National Unity Day on 9 April, four days of Easter, 9 May, 12 May, 17 May, Independence Day on 26 May, Mariamoba on 28 August, Svetitskhovloba on 14 October and Giorgoba on 23 November.
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What are Georgian musical instruments called?
The best-known Georgian instruments are the three-string panduri and four-string chonguri, the salamuri flute, the duduki, the gudastviri bagpipe, the doli drum and the bowed chuniri.
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What to give a Georgian, and what gifts to bring from Russia?
When visiting Georgians, sweets, good tea or coffee, flowers for the host or a gift for the children are appropriate.
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What should tourists, including women, wear in Georgia?
In Tbilisi and Batumi people dress in a relaxed, urban way, as in any European city, and there are no strict rules for visitors.
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What are Georgian traditions, and how should you behave as a guest?
The core Georgian traditions are hospitality and the supra feast, where the tamada leads the toasts and the guest is offered the best of everything.
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What does 'assa' mean, and what Georgian dances are there?
'Assa' is a cry used to cheer dancers on, roughly like 'come on!', with no literal translation.
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What is Georgian national dress called: chokha, papakha, nabadi?
The men's national costume is the chokha, a long coat with cartridge pockets across the chest, worn over an arkhalukhi undershirt with a papakha hat; in bad weather a felt cloak called a nabadi goes on top.
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What are the Georgian felt and sheepskin hats called?
The round felt cap is the Svan hat, svanuri kudi in Georgian, worn in Svaneti and popular as a souvenir.